


Happy Holidays Shu

by gimmekensei



Category: Bleach
Genre: Everyone Is Alive, Gift Giving, M/M, Semi-Public Sex, Shuhei is oblivious that Kensei has the hots for him, Slow Burn, Trying to write some gay holiday cheer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:27:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21906709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gimmekensei/pseuds/gimmekensei
Summary: Months have ticked by and yet Kensei seems nowhere closer to making Shuhei his. And now the holidays are creeping closer and the Captain still is clueless on how to show the Lieutenant his intent in the perfect gift. Sure doesn't help that Ichigo seems to have a similar goal in mind for Shu.
Relationships: Hisagi Shuuhei/Muguruma Kensei
Comments: 12
Kudos: 35





	1. Drinks are on who?

"I’m strictly into men." Shuhei blurted out to Kensei one late evening. He was stuck sitting right beside him, helping him finish signing the last of the ridiculously large amount of paperwork. Though the Lieutenant's body language seemed confident, his voice was shaky and uncertain, pairing nicely with how his hands struggled to cooperate with his need to sign. 

"Figured that out already Shuhei. But for fucks sake...there's no need to tell me."

The rather neutral response surprised Hisagi. Kensei's tone inferred no hate and no malice. If anything, he just sounded pissed off that they were still in the office. Now, Shuhei wasn't exactly expecting a bad response, but he wasn't exactly expecting a good one, either. Ever since Kensei had taken over again as Captain of the ninth, he had been at Shuhei's throat all the time, and lately, Shuhei was at his likewise. He knew they didn't hate each other, as much as they verbally refused to acknowledge such. Kensei saved his life countless times, when Shu was just a kid and even now still, and Hisagi saved his life merely once during the Quincy War. Their tense friendship was there, albeit very complicated, and Shuhei thought maybe he just expected more huffing and puffing. 

"Why the hell should it matter though, huh? It's not like it freaking defines you, or what you do." Kensei grumbled under his breath, ready to kill himself if he had to sign one last paper. 

"Uh...." Shuhei's brain sputtered while trying to think of a decent response that Kensei would tear apart and critique. He found he couldn't put it into physical words.

"It… doesn't." Shuhei finally settled on. After a long pause, and a quiet Captain that didn't add anything else, Hisagi managed to get out, "Look, Captain I-"

Getting away from his desk and flash stepping forward, Kensei grabbed Shuhei's bare arm, his warm grip on the edge of being too firm. Shuhei shut up right away, and looked back up to find Kensei's eyes analyzing him as if trying to figure him out. His silver stare was not meant to be harsh, Shuhei made sure to note, and he swore it almost mirrored the same gaze he gave him back after the Quincy War; Shuhei had been a broken mess of bones, destroyed muscles and weakened nervous system when the Visord had found him laying on the ground, bullet hole inside him. No longer zombified, Kensei had refused assistance, intent on being the person to carry Hisagi to medical treatment. At the time Shuhei hadn't thought much of it, especially considering he had barely been conscious at the time. He convinced himself that it was due to the pride Kensei had as a Captain, to leave no Ninth Division member behind that compelled him to behave in the manner he had. But deep down Shu knew there was something more to it. The way Kensei's hands had trembled and cupped his cheeks, tenderly stroking the 69 tattoo that they intimately shared. And the way the Visord had gasped, breath caught when it was confirmed Shuhei was still alive had only added to Shuhei's suspicions. 

"Oi, that freaking look. Quit it." 

"Quit what?"

"I know what that damn look of yours mean. The moment you get that look you hide in the office and don't come out until you've done everyone's work and it's pitch black outside." 

Shuhei's skin was growing warm where it was in contact with Kensei's grip. “I... wasn't going to go off and hide...as you put it.” He had to swallow, his mouth felt strangely dry and the air inexplicably thin.

"Then quit acting like you're forced to get along with me...or that you have to hide certain facts about yourself. Or that you feel you have to put yourself into uncomfortable situations for me." 

Shuhei blinked once….then twice. "I...I didn't feel forced to tell you Captain...I merely wanted to…I felt it might act as a bit of a truce..." 

"Right.” Kensei coughed awkwardly, dropping his hand, “So we’re agreed? Try to manage to get along? Truce?" And hell, as he spoke, he found his eyes drawn to the pink tinge lighting the Lieutenant's pale cheeks.

“That would be sufficient.” Soft-spoken, Shuhei seemed to be avoiding looking at the Captain for now. Figured. But at least the Visord hadn't scared the boy off just yet. 

“In the circumstances,” Shuhei suggested. “I believe it would be appropriate to invite you out for drinks Captain.” 

Shuhei's suggestion managed to normalize the conversation, even though Kensei rolled his eyes in a gesture of exasperation.

“I have a name you know.”

“Muguruma.” Shuhei corrected himself and a certain Captain couldn't help but notice how the pink flush returned to the Lieutenant's cheeks. Shame, considering the male didn't quite use his first name, but he could manage. 

_Little Baby steps....baby steps…._

“Yeah, let's get drinks....on your tab.” he murmured before snickering when Shuhei started to internally freak, worried that Kensei would consume more than he could afford.

"Heh, relax Shu. I was just kiddin'. I'll pay as long as you drink.”  
  
“I won’t drink-” Shuhei cut off before sighing and shaking his head lightly. "One drink wouldn’t hurt." he muttered, looking away a little awkwardly and concentrating of the speck of dirt on the nearest wall. Man, who knew just how interesting dirt suddenly seemed. He could still feel Kensei's eyes on him, so he internally groaned and looked at his Captain again. The older male’s gaze was less intense but still trained on Hisagi before he shifted and faked a distracting cough.  
  
“Pens down. Let’s close shop and head out.”  
  
“Yes sir.”  
  
“Tch,” Kensei rolled his eyes, casting his harsh gaze right on Shuhei once again. “What did I say about names brat?”  
  
Shuhei huffed, throwing the office key to the Captain, who caught it without a struggle. “Captain, pardon me for pointing out your hypocrisy, but how do you expect me to refer to your proper name when you keep referring to me as ‘brat’?”  
  
“Eh?” Kensei paused, only to burst out into laughter. Finally getting somewhere. Seemed that Shuhei did have a backbone after all.  
  
“Oh?” Twirling the key around his finger, Kensei stepped forward, leveling their eyes. “Talking back are we Lieutenant?”  
  
Shuhei’s eyes narrowed as returned the look and also stepped forward, their chests nearly touching. “Perhaps I am…..Muguruma.”  
  
“Good job then, Shuhei. It seems we finally are seeing eye to eye.” Turning around and stepping out with Shuhei, Kensei locked up the office only grin, teeth flashing as he wrapped an arm around Shuhei’s shoulders. “Now then, since we found a bit of a fighting spirit in you, lets finally go get those drinks you promised!”  
  
“......drinks you told me to get you if I must remind you.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah. Relax, as I said already, I’ll pay. I meant it.”  
  
“You better.” Shuhei murmured and though he shrugged off Kensei’s arm, he felt the corner of hips curl up slightly. Maybe getting drinks with his Captain wasn’t such a bad idea after all… 


	2. Chapter 2

Kensei often felt late to the party when it came to chasing after Hisagi’s hand, if you get his meaning. Shuhei was always like a light being swamped by moths. Whether it was due to his tattoos or his  easy on the eyes appearance, stepping into the bar seemed like a true mistake. It sure didn’t help that the females around them didn’t know that they had no chance with Hisagi because of his sexuality. They still eyed him up like he was going to be their next meal. And the guys around clearly had at least enough brains to recognize that Shuhei was something.    
  
“Captain? Right over there is free.” Hisagi was already back to using proper titles, and though he really should crackdown on his lieutenant's repeated stubbornness since it felt like an added wedge between them, Kensei bit his tongue and instead wandered over the seated area his Lieutenant had founded.    
  
“Oi, two beers over here.” The Captain raised his gloved hand to grab the bartender’s attention and was replied with a curt nod. With a quick pour of glasses, the beers were handed over to Kensei’s grateful hands. Even stuck up Shuhei who rarely touched the bottle seemed thirsty for a taste.    
  
Pouring the beer down his throat as humanly fast as possible and only setting the glass down when all was gone, the Captain’s eyes settled on his lieutenant now sitting across from him. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Kensei raised his hand again for another round of beers, but still his eyes stayed steadfast on Hisagi. Good thing the lieutenant was too busy drinking to catch Kensei getting an eyeful.    
  
“Captain.” Hisagi uttered, playing with the rim of his glass once he had set it down. “The new edition of the Seireitei Communication Monthly should all be in order. I’ll have the men start printing tomorrow, and hopefully if all goes smoothly we should be able to release to the public the edition this Friday.”    
  
Of course when there was no conversation and the awkwardness wasn’t settling right, Hisagi picked work as a topic of conversation. But hell what else could they really talk about after work hours? Maybe music, but Shuhei didn’t know that Chad had been telling Kensei about the music lessons, or even that Hisagi had a guitar in the first place. Heck, and that was assuming that  Muguruma knew enough about the latest music to keep up with Hisagi’s passion for it. Maybe the topic of cooking then? Kensei was no professional cook and though it wasn’t a major hobby of his, he’d heard from Renji that Shuhei was one hell of a cook.    
  
“Good. You’re handling it well.” Shifting forward in his seat to take the offered beers brought over that he’d requested earlier, Kensei barely noticed when his knee brushed against Hisagi’s under the table. He did catch onto it when Hisagi curled into himself, his hands dropping to fall into his lap. Even his legs seemed to be pressed back against his seat to avoid the Captain’s knee.    
  
_ Jeez, he wasn’t poisonous.  _ _   
_ _   
_ “Thank you Captain.” Hisagi finally mumbled at the pointed look he was getting from his superior. Little did he know that the look was coming from Kensei’s feeling of disbelief that the Lieutenant was so quick to pull back. “Sir, are we doing anything special for the division for Christmas? Last year we didn’t do anything, but now that the Quincy War is over it might be good for lifting spirits. We’ve been through a lot, and well...” Hisagi rubbed the back of his neck, watching the Captain drink another beer. “We need something uplifting to greet the new year with.”    
  
“Yeah? You’re not wrong about that.” Setting aside his last beer for the night, Kensei rested back against his chair to ponder. “How about just a small gathering? People could bring snacks to share and I’m sure we could find a way to have games, or at least something fun to do.”   
  
Shuhei clearly liked that the Captain was going along with his suggestion since his face was  _ glowing.  _   
  
“Of course, just leave it up to me sir. Perhaps we could invite the other divisions to join us? We could turn it into a holiday festival. I’m sure that would work well.”    
  
“Yeah, I like the sound of it. Got any other ideas, Shu?”  _ Damn…  _ Shuhei was cute when he got this excited. Considering that this was rare and the Captain had no plans to stop it,  Muguruma  rested his chin against his braced arm and continued well into the evening discussing the plans.    
  
_ Hopefully this would buy him some brownie points.  _


	3. Chapter 3

Ichigo wasn’t bloodthirsty like Grimmjow was, but he did know at least when to appreciate a good clash of arms in the midst of a battle. With Grimmjow, Ichigo could sometimes develop a rush of energy, and feel that need to win building up inside him. At the end of one of their fights, Kurosaki always felt like he’d had a good workout at the gym. At best it left him feeling refreshed, at worse horribly sore.   
  
But fighting with Shuhei was sensual in every way one could imagine it. The way the Lieutenant twist his body at the slightest need, or how his eyes would lock on Ichigo like he was analyzing every movement of his prey...fuck it was hot. A bold way to put it, but it was the only way Kurosaki could describe it perfectly to a certain degree. Hisagi’s Captain liked to give him shit for not using his Bankai yet, and deep down Kurosaki didn’t think he was ready to see Shuhei’s bankai. He was an exhilarated mess at seeing the basics of Hisagi’s sword technique, he didn’t know if he could trust himself if Hisagi released his Bankai and let all of spiritual pressure pour over Kurosaki.   
  
“Kurosaki, pay attention.” Shuhei cut through Ichigo’s thinking process with Kaeshini flying right in his direction but instead of reaping him in half, it made a dirty mess of the wall. Already beating himself up for getting distracted in the presence of such a damn enthralling Lieutenant , Ichigo wasn’t prepared in the slightest for the faint smirk that crossed the Lieutenant's face. Big shows of emotion were rare for Shuhei, so to see him look so obviously amused, kami that was hitting Kurosaki’s gut. Talk about feeling like butterflies were in his stomach.   
  
“Going easy on me, Hisagi?” Ichigo attempted to sound cocky, taking a page out of Grimmjow’s book, but he sounded more like a croaking wreck. What was he, some kid going through puberty?   
  
“Of course.” Flawlessly uttered, Shuhei seemed to observe Ichigo before turning his wrist and sending Kazeshini spinning once more, but instead of aiming for the earlier targeted wall, the Lieutenant wrapped Kazeshini’s chains around Ichigo’s chest, twisting the substitute soul reaper’s arms behind his back. The true kicker was when Hisagi used his foot to push a shell shocked Ichigo down onto his knees.   
  
Kurosaki really should have been cursing up a storm and demanding that he’d be released, but considering the position he found himself in, he wasn’t in the right mind space to be complaining or asking for the bondage of the chains to be peeled off. The fact that Shuhei was so obvious to what exactly this was doing to Ichigo was the real pain.   
  
“Oi, Shu!! I’ve been looking all over. Where the hell have you been?! There’s still training of the new recruits to do and all the prep you wanted to do for the Christmas festival-” In a hissy fit caused by dealing with assholes all day, Captain Muguruma had been looking all over for his Lieutenant. Usually, the brat was good about being on time for everything and completing all of his work, but not today apparently.   
  
“Captain!” Hisagi immediately yanked Kazeshini free and put his zanpakuto back into check. Politely bowing, the lieutenant didn’t have the chance of hearing Ichigo groan and seeing him nearly drop his head to the floor. _Dammit, talk about being a cockblocker Kensei._ _  
_ _  
_ Finally looking up after being forced to hear all of the Captain’s bickering, Ichigo couldn’t help but analyze the situation. When did Kensei grow this soft? He wasn’t cursing anymore, and if anything seemed as harmless as a fly. And...Shuhei looked, amused? Why the hell were Hisagi’s cheeks rosier than before?   
  
When Kensei’s eyes finally locked onto him, Ichigo swallowed. _Fuck, Kensei was into Shu too? That’s what that look meant right?_   
  
That growing suspicion further confirmed when as Shuhei was running off, back turned to the two men, the Captain gave Ichigo the middle finger before following after his Lieutenant.   
  
_Oh, this meant war._

**Author's Note:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS! WHO'S READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS!?!?!


End file.
